If you received a new Cricut Maker or other model for Christmas and don’t know where to start, you might want to keep reading. I have some beginner Cricut videos up on our YouTube channel and plan to add more. It will get you started on some great projects. View the whole Cricut Video Playlist for more inspiration.

There are videos about saving money on Cricut supplies, tips and hacks about how to get free Cricut fonts and SVGs plus so much more.

I also plan to do some Live Cricut Crafting that you can join us for, so make sure you subscribe to us on YouTube and click that bell so you will be notified of new videos as soon as they are posted.

Happy Crafting!!!

The post Did You Get a Cricut Maker For Christmas and Don’t Know Where To Start? appeared first on Mommy Ramblings.

Goat milk formulas are emerging on the scene in a big way. While less common than the standard cow’s milk-based preparations, you can now find goat’s milk formulas in supermarkets and online storefronts around the world. More people are exploring this interesting new option for infant nutrition and the formula industry is taking notice.

Looking at the benefits of infant goat milk formula, it is not hard to see why many parents are making the switch to this nutrient-dense alternative. However, for those new to the world of alternative formulas, or infant formulas in general, this trend might seem a bit confusing. While you should always be looking for the best nutrition options for your child, knowing about the available options is just as important.

To provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision, let’s look at some of the specific reasons why some parents are making the switch to goat milk formula.

Distinct Nutritional Profile

While cow’s milk does contain a complete and balanced nutritional profile, goat’s milk is more suitable for some infants due to its own distinct blend and balance of ingredients. For example, goat’s milk contains many vitamins and minerals in greater concentrations than cow’s milk. For those infants who struggle with deficiencies of these substances, it might be worthwhile to switch up the conventional cow’s milk blend once in a while, or permanently, for a goat’s milk formula.

These substances include selenium, vitamin A, and niacin, all essential building blocks for growing infants and toddlers. These minerals and vitamins boost brain development and keep your child’s immune system in top shape. Goat’s milk preparations also contain thirty per cent more magnesium than cow’s milk preparations. Vitamin C is also much more prevalent in goat’s milk formula than in cow’s milk formula.

When it comes to balance, goat’s milk formulas may not be as ideal as cow’s milk preparations. However, thanks to the wonders of modern chemistry, goat’s milk formulas are usually fortified with extra amounts of the minerals and nutrients that it lacks. These include iron and vitamin B12.

Build Gut Health

Gut health is an increasingly popular topic for new parents. Medical science has established a robust connection between healthy gut flora and positive well-being. These benefits carry over into physical resilience as well as mental health and mood.

Incredibly, goat’s milk formulas are an abundant source of pre and probiotics. These are essential substances that bolster the gut flora in the human body. If you want your child to have a robust immune system that will enable them to fight off pathogens and beat major diseases before they develop, then you might try starting them on goat’s milk formula right away.

Ideal For Sensitive Stomachs

The digestive system of your young child is still developing. Many babies and toddlers find that cow’s milk formulas are too difficult to digest and cause them pain and stomach discomfort. In some cases, this can also be caused by lactose intolerance.

Goat’s milk is a great solution to this problem. Though it also contains lactose, it is much less prevalent than in cow’s milk. Goat’s milk formulas are primarily composed of casein, which is much easier to digest than lactose. It is worth trying out if your infant is struggling with a standard formula.

Ask Your Doctor Before Making A Decision

With any changes to your infant’s diet, make sure to consult a physician. They will be able to direct you as to what your child needs to thrive and whether the product you have chosen is right for your child.

This is a collaborative post. The ideas and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.

The post Why Some Parents Have Made The Switch To Infant Goat Milk Formula appeared first on Mommy Ramblings.

When winter hits, you need a comfortable and warm home. For this reason, you have to pay attention to the condition of your boiler. You can’t live with an broken or malfunctioning boiler during the winter season. If you have a boiler cover, there is nothing to worry because your engineer will see you within 24 hours after your call.

Understand the Importance of Boiler Cover

Servicing a boiler can easily be forgotten, but regular boiler maintenance and checks have numerous benefits. A defective boiler can be dangerous; therefore, you can protect yourself from different threats with a boiler cover. People who don’t have a boiler cover may find it challenging to get a qualified engineer at a reasonable price.

Remember, engineers across the country  have busy schedules in the frostiest months. If your boiler is already covered, it will be easy for you to get help and advice. By ignoring the importance of a boiler cover, you can increase the chances of carbon monoxide poisoning, gas leaks, explosions and fires.

Test Your Boiler in the Autumn

People in the UK often turn their central heating on after October. They don’t realize the possibility of faults in their boiler. For this reason, check your boiler in mild weather. There is no need to use it for a long duration, turn it on for some time to check its radiators.

To nip boiler faults in the bud, arrange for a reliable boiler service. It will help you to identify and resolve different issues before winter. Moreover, you will get a consistent supply of hot water on every freezing morning.

Timers and Thermostats 

An engineer can identify issues with your timer and thermostat during an annual service. Defects and errors in your heating time can make things difficult for you. Pay attention to the condition of timer and location of the thermostat to keep your house warm.

Check Pipe Insulation

Water expands when freezes; therefore, standing water in the plumbing system can affect your pipes. For this reason, pipe insulation is necessary. Similar to loft insulation and cavity wall, it can decrease heat transfer and maintain the flow of water in pipes without any heat loss. In this way, you can avoid several winter emergencies.

Boiler Pressure

Pay attention to the pressure of the boiler. You can judge it between 1 and 1.5 (in the green or the red). Decreased pressure can affect the flow of hot water around a heating system. Remember, high pressure can make radiators bleed. Similar, too low pressure requires you to refill loop to increase it. For the best performance, the pressure of your boiler should be temperamental.

Power Flushes

Keep your radiators clean to make things easy for your central heating system. Your plumbing engineer can clean pipes and radiators to flush sludge out of these units. After cleaning, your plumbing system will be refilled with a corrosion inhibitor and clean water. It will increase the efficiency of the central heating system.

This is a collaborative post, the ideas and views do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings Blog.

The post Things to Do to Get Your Boiler Ready for Winter appeared first on Mommy Ramblings.

Halloween, Christmas, New Year’s Parties, Mardi Gras and more, has people searching for quality adult masks. VIVO sells the highest quality, authentic masquerade masks you can find in North America. All of their masks are handmade in Italy, and each month, they source out the very best for storage in their US warehouse, where they can deliver them to you quickly, at an excellent price.

If you want to see the differences in VIVO’s masks, check the images above. Do you want a mask that is hand crafted in Venice, Italy or one that is mass produced in a factory in China? I think the choice is obvious, but what about the price? Since VIVO has warehouses in the USA and sells only online, they cut their costs, and pass them off to you with warehouse pricing. Navigating their website could not be easier. Order your mask, and rest assured, because their 2-day USA  shipping is quick too. Order with complete confidence, thanks to their money back guarantee if you are not satisfied.

Giveaway:

VIVO is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will be able to choose the mask of their choice from this selection. Thanks VIVO for the review mask and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to the USA and Canada.

VIVO Authentic Made In Italy Masquerade Mask Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!

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The post Enter For Chance To Win An Authentic Hand Crafted Italian Masquerade Mask By VIVO Masks appeared first on Mommy Ramblings.

As winter approaches,  it’s time to consider the best way to prevent pests from getting into your home. Although the process of keeping pests out can be tedious, it is infinitely better than having to deal with pests in your home.

The good news is that pest prevention is easier than you think.

Contact A Professional

If you want to simply hand the reins over to someone else, call a local pest control expert and get them to come and check your home. However, while they will remove any pest infestation that already exists, they will usually only advise on the best preventative methods.

The best approach is simply to speak to them about the most likely pests you’ll be dealing with and how they recommend protecting your home.

You can then take the necessary steps, which will include the following:

Sealing Up Gaps

A mouse can get through a gap as small as a ¼ inch, ants, termites, and other pests don’t even need a gap that big!

You need to carefully inspect the outside of your home and seal any gaps. Pay particular attention to around the windows, doors, and the base of your walls.

If there is no entry point the pests won’t be able to get in.

Edge Around Your Home

Termites can bury through the earth at the side of your home and into your foundations in order to get to the wood and start eating it. You’ll know they are active if you have small tunnels in the soil. If you fill them in they will reappear within 24-48 hours.

The most effective way of eliminating this issue is to have a concrete strip around your home, preferably at least 6” wide.

Check For Moisture

Pests need moisture and food to survive. You can eliminate these by looking around your home, inside and out, and eliminating any moisture.

Gutters collect moisture, leaking pipes allow moisture to soak into the wood and walls, and even pet drinking bowls can be an encouragement to pests.

Check your home for any water stains and trace the source of the issue. Eliminating these won’t just help to keep pests out, it can also protect your home.

Clutter

Pests need somewhere to live, that’s why they’re contemplating your house for winter. But, prior winter they may have been living in a woodpile in the garden or some other item that hasn’t been moved for a long time.

If you eliminate clutter inside and outside your home you’ll reduce the places where pests can live, making it harder for them to stay uninvited.

You’ll also find that the value of your home will go up and it’s a nicer place to live.

Start Cleaning

A pest needs food and this is most likely to be found in the form of crumbs and other food waste that you’ve left lying around.

You need to get in the habit of cleaning your house, putting food away in sealed containers, and keeping all waste in a sealed bin. Combine this with regular vacuuming and the pests won’t have any food, they’re likely to move onto a different house.

Don’t forget your local pest control service is here to help you eliminate the entry points and attraction of your home to pests. With their support, you can enjoy a pest-free winter!

This is a collaborative post, the ideas and views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.

The post Homeowner Tips for Pest Prevention in the Winter appeared first on Mommy Ramblings.

A home renovation is one of the more stressful ordeals you can go through in your life, even if you’ve done it before. It’s uncomfortable while it lasts, it can get messy if you don’t pay attention, and last but definitely not least, it can hit your bank account hard. Planning ahead can mitigate all of those factors, especially the last one – and it’s a good idea to take the time to sit down and come up with a proper plan of action if you don’t want to get caught up in a complicated situation.

Start Early

A major home renovation is not something you can plan a few days ahead of the job. This should go without saying – and yet you’d be surprised how many people put very little thought and planning into their own renovation jobs. As a result, they end up paying significantly more. There are many factors that play into this. Purchasing supplies and materials early can allow you to scout out good discounts and hundreds of deals for them. Contractors have their own schedules and contacting someone for a short-notice job is going to be more expensive. You can plan around the seasonal weather changes as well. In the end, giving yourself at least a few months – ideally half a year – before you start with the actual work is going to be very beneficial.

Extending Your Budget

After you’ve drawn the bottom line, you might come to the unpleasant realization that your budget is not actually enough to cover everything you want to do. Taking out a loan is perfectly reasonable in this situation. Just make sure that you know how you’re going to repay it, and how it will impact your budget. As long as you have a good credit score, it should be possible to get a nice extra stretch on your available funds without having to go through any uncomfortable periods later on.

Why the DIY Approach Can Be More Expensive

A big mistake you can make is to think that you’re just going to roll up your sleeves and get the job done yourself. Or at least parts of it. The problem with this is that while it may indeed save you some money in the short-term, it will very likely increase the overall cost of your project in other, unexpected ways. You will have to spend much more time on each part of the job compared to the average contractor, and you’ll also make more mistakes than them, costing you even more time and materials. Spare yourself the trouble and leave the complicated tasks in the hands of professionals.

Going Green Can Be a Money-Saver in the Long Run

As long as you’re renovating your home, now might be a good time to think about changing your approach to a greener one. This can cost a bit more in the immediate term, sure, but its impact on your budget can be significant in the long run. With a home that’s insulated better and at least partly self-sustaining in terms of energy and heating, you’ll knock off a large percentage from many of your bills. You’ll be better prepared for tomorrow too, as many of these things will likely become beneficial factors for your tax return sooner or later.

It doesn’t have to cost a great deal of money to renovate your home, at least if you give yourself enough time for the job and know what caveats to expect along the way. All things considered, it’s very likely to go smoother than you’re anticipating, and will probably not even cost you that much.

This is a collaborative guest post. The views and ideals expressed do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.

The post How to Budget and Plan for a Major Home Renovation appeared first on Mommy Ramblings.

A lіmіtеd rеnоvаtіоn budget dоеѕ nоt mеаn уоu аrе ѕtuсk living with a bathroom frоm thе ѕеvеntіеѕ. Thе еxсеllеnt nеwѕ аbоut іnvеѕting  іn bathroom rеmоdеlіng, іѕ thаt it increases the value of your home. If you plan to sell or flip your house, you can really profit from that renovation provided you dоn’t go over budget.  Whіlе going over budget is not a smart іnvеѕtmеnt, lеаvіng your outdated bаthrооm as is certainly won’t hеlр the resale value of your home. Yоu саn gіvе уоur bаthrооm a nеw lооk, аnd ѕаvе уоur bаnk ассоunt bу сhооѕіng есоnоmісаl cosmetic upgrades аnd kееріng thеѕе rеnоvаtіоn іdеаѕ іn mіnd.

Onе ѕtер аt a time

Getting some good advice when planning will help ensure thаt уоur сhоісеѕ fit уоur оvеrаll budgеt аnd  hеlр уоu achieve a соhеѕіvе ѕtуlе when remolding your bаthrооm. Mаnу hоmе rennovators аrе hampered bу аn аll оr nоthіng аррrоасh tо bаthrооm rеmоdеlіng. However, уоu dоn’t hаvе tо dо аn еxреnѕіvе mаkеоvеr tо еnjоу thе bеnеfіtѕ оf аn updated bаthrооm. Planning уоur соmрlеtе bathroom renovations in Melbourne, but tасklіng оnlу оnе оr twо рrоjесtѕ аt a time, requires patience. While it may take time,  ultіmаtеlу you will have the rеmоdеlеd bаthrооm уоu were dreaming about with a mіnіmаl impact оn уоur fіnаnсеѕ.

Fеаturеѕ wіth еnеrgу-еffісіеnt uрgrаdеѕ

Mаnу cities, ѕtаtеѕ, аnd utilities оffеr dіѕсоuntѕ, сrеdіtѕ, оr оthеr incentives tо replace toilets, faucets, оr ѕhоwеrѕ wіth lоw-flоw mоdеlѕ thаt ѕаvе wаtеr. Leveraging іnсеntіvеѕ offered thrоugh energy соnѕеrvаtіоn programs саn hеlр уоu stay wіthіn уоur remodeling budgеt. Not only will you save on your renovations, you will have the bonus of reduced utility bills each month.

Thе Puzzle Uрdаtе оr Rерlасе

Mаnу bathroom rеmоdеlіng рrоjесtѕ hаvе оnе орtіоn: upgrade оr rерlасе? Yоu саn іnvеѕt іn nеw vanity саbіnеtѕ оr раіnt your existing ones. Alternatively, уоu саn соmрrоmіѕе аnd replace оnlу thе саbіnеt fасеѕ. Bаthtubѕ аnd соuntеrtорѕ саn bе rерlасеd оr refaced tо lооk аnd funсtіоn аѕ nеw. Evеn оld раrtѕ саn bе rеfurbіѕhеd instead оf replaced. Don’t assume thаt уоu nееd tо replace еvеrуthіng іn уоur bаthrооm tо gеt thе look уоu wаnt. Wіth ѕоmе research, careful prioritization, аnd оf course, patience, уоu саn give your bathroom a ѕtуlіѕh upgrade fоr a frасtіоn оf thе соѕt оf nеw materials.

Hіrіng Prоfеѕѕіоnаlѕ fоr thе Rіght Jobs

If уоu аrе rеlаtіvеlу handy,  a grеаt wау tо ѕаvе money іѕ tо dо ѕоmе work yourself аnd hire a professional fоr thоѕе jobs outside уоur ѕkіll ѕеt. Mаkіng аn hоnеѕt аѕѕеѕѕmеnt оf уоur сараbіlіtіеѕ аnd time аvаіlаbіlіtу іѕ сrіtісаl tо thіѕ decision. Rushing or not doing the work correctly саn dо mоrе hаrm thаn gооd tо your hоmе. Whеn hіrіng a соntrасtоr fоr сеrtаіn areas of your renovation project, іt іѕ uѕuаllу rесоmmеndеd tо gеt аt lеаѕt thrее quotes tо fіnd a fair рrісе for thе jоb.

It іѕ оftеn ѕаіd thаt home renovations аlwауѕ соѕt mоrе аnd tаkе lоngеr thаn еxресtеd. It is best to start with realistic gоаlѕ аnd expectations fоr уоur remodeling timeline and budget. Ideally you should set aside a соntіngеnсу fund fоr unеxресtеd еxреnѕеѕ should they arise.  Following these tips can help you with that beautiful bathroom renovation in Melbourne and bring you that state of the art style you long for.

This is a collaborative guest post. The ideas and views do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.

The post How to Save Money on a Bathroom Renovation appeared first on Mommy Ramblings.

Most kids have headed back to school. Our kids started last week, even though I feel our summer was far too short and cold. In classrooms all over the country are embarking on a new year  of academics and activities. Parents like myself  know the importance of preparing snacks and lunches that will keep our kids fueled to get them through their busiest days.  Luckily, there are a handful of better-for-you snack, meal and beverage options on the market that offer nutritional benefits and taste that kids love and parents can feel great about serving. I am happy 4 easy tips to fuel your kids from RD Mitzi Dulan,

Take your child to the grocery store with you at the beginning of the school year and allow them to choose 2-3 of their favorite fruits to have for their lunches or after school snack. Fruit is important for kids to properly fuel up and making kids part of the decision-making process is a great way to create healthy habits and try new foods!

Try incorporating protein into your kid’s lunch and snacks. Protein is important to a child’s diet to help them grow, build muscle and keep their immune system strong. Mitzi recommends new Juicy Juice + Protein, one of the first juice-protein blends on the market for kids, as an after-school for snack for busy days.

Make sure you include a variety of quality carbs, healthy fats, protein and fiber into your child’s after school snacks for optimal fueling. One of my favorites for kids – my teens love it too – are peanut butter (or almond butter) and banana sandwiches with honey on whole wheat bread. Pro Tip: it’s also delicious toasted!

Lower-sugar juice options are ideal to avoid consuming too much sugar while also hydrating in a tasty way. A favorite of my two girls is new Juicy Juice Fruitifuls Organic, which is made with 45% less sugar than the leading juice while still providing half a cup of fruit in each 8 oz serving. It works well paired with nutritious meals before, during or after the school day.

The new Juicy Juice Fruitifuls Organic, which is made with 45% less sugar than the leading juice, provides a half a cup of fruit in each 8 oz serving and is a better-for-you option that can be paired with meals before, during or after the school day. Check out Juicy Waters, Juicy Juice + Protein and Fruitifuls Organic. Please share some of your favorite tips for kid’s snacks and lunches in the comments.

The post 4 Easy Tips to Fuel Your Kids for Back To School from a Registered Dietitian appeared first on Mommy Ramblings.

I don’t know who loves the Llama Llama books more, me or my kids. They have been staples in our home since my kids were born. Well, there is a brand new book out that is just as great as you would expect. Anna Dewdney does it again with Llam Llama Mess, Mess Mess. This book tackles the problem most of us face as parents, getting our kids to clean up. This book shows just what happens when you don’t do anything to tidy up. It is not pretty, but with teamwork, Mama and Llama Llama get everything in order. The benefit of tidying up means Mama and Llama have lot’s of room to play and do things together.

Check out the book here in our video:

Mama Llama teaches Llama Llama a humorous lesson in cleaning up in Anna Dewdney’s bestselling Llama Llama series.Time to pick up all your toys!
Why is Mama making noise?
Mama says it’s cleaning day.
Llama only wants to play.

Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama is growing up, but he still loves to play with all his toys! When Mama Llama says it’s time to clean up, Llama responds like any child more interested in playing than cleaning . . . by ignoring her! But Mama has an imaginative response of her own. What if she never cleaned? What would happen then? Well, Llama Llama is going to find out! Here is a truly funny take on a childhood chore that all children will relate to and laugh at! And it is sure to be helpful to get kids cleaning up!

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The post “Llama Llama Mess, Mess, Mess” Book Blog Tour & Giveaway appeared first on Mommy Ramblings.

Nickelodeon is celebrating 20 years of SpongeBob SquarePants with a 75 hour DVD Collection of Nautical Nonsense.

SpongeBob Squrepants: The Best 200 Episodes Ever will be available nationwide on August 27th!

This DVD collection, made up of two box-sets, will be available  nationwide on August 27, 2019 wherever DVDs are sold. Each DVD comes with the special-edition 20th anniversary SpongeBob SquarePants poster, which was created specifically for Nickelodeon San Diego Comic-Con and features all 760 characters and creatures that have ever appeared on the show.

This collection contains SpongeBob SquarePants: The First 100 Episodes & SpongeBob SquarePants: The Next 100 Episodes and features every deep-sea adventure from the first 200 episodes of the series. Get lost in the zany and wonderful world of Bikini Bottom and relive every “F.U.N.” episode from the first nine seasons including classic episodes such as “SpongeBob You’re Fired,” “It Came from Goo Lagoon,” and “Mermaidman Begins.”

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 200 Episodes Ever! fast facts:

Street Date: June 15, 2019 (Amazon Prime); August 27, 2019 (nationwide)

Catalog: 59207160000 (US); 59207161000 (CAN)

Running Time: 75 hrs 33 min

Audio: Dolby Digital English Stereo

S.R.P.: $76.99

Giveaway:

Nickelodeon and Paramount Home Entertainment are sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 200 Episodes Ever! Set!!! 

Thank you to our sponsors for the review set and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US Residents.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 200 Episodes Ever!  DVD Collection Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules: 

Please enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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The post SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 200 Episodes Ever Giveaway appeared first on Mommy Ramblings.